A sense of familiarity is present at Arsenal, with both their senior squads competing in the Champions League semi-finals. The women's team is set to face OL Lyonnes in the final four for the second consecutive year. Having won the title last year by defeating Barcelona in Lisbon, the team is aiming for back-to-back championships, with Stina Blackstenius being the winning goalscorer.
Blackstenius has a proven track record of scoring crucial goals in high-pressure situations, having won all four finals she has competed in as an Arsenal player and scoring in three of them. "I really love winning with this team, and I'd do anything to make that happen," she stated in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports.
"As a striker, scoring goals is always the goal, and in big games, it's especially significant." Arsenal has a strong home record under coach Renee Slegers, which gives them confidence heading into the game despite losing the first leg last year before coming from behind to beat the eight-time European champions in France. This time, however, they are the targets.
"Being the Champions League holders doesn't change anything for us," Blackstenius said. "We know we can achieve it, and if we've done it once, we can definitely do it again.
That's the confidence we have in this team, but I don't feel like we're under more pressure now than last season." Blackstenius' teammate Alessia Russo is the top scorer in the Champions League this season, with eight goals in 10 matches. The pair has worked well together, thanks in part to the guidance of assistant coach Kelly Smith. "She's played a big part in working with us forwards, and we've had a lot of time in training to work on our relationships, which has been really effective," Blackstenius said.
"Alessia and I complement each other well. I like to make runs deep and try to create space for myself and others, while Alessia is really good with the ball and setting up players in good situations." Arsenal's desire to keep improving and competing for silverware was a key factor in Blackstenius signing a new contract. "It's a special club in many ways," she said.
"Since I joined four and a half years ago, a lot has happened. It's a fun league to play in, and with the supporters we have, it feels like home.
We want to compete in every competition and keep growing, which is a big part of why I wanted to stay."